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Vintage Blancpain Aqualung, 1960 — view 1 of 6
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Wristwatches · Wristwatch

Vintage Blancpain Aqualung, 1960

DocumentedDocumented from a dealer's listing; attribution and date as stated by the dealer.
Maker / attribution
Blancpain (maker)
Date
1960
Country of origin
Switzerland
Object type
Wristwatch
Dimensions
Case 37 mm
Stock no.
BLNCP-AL60S
Credit line
Dealer listing, Craft & Tailored (BLNCP-AL60S)
Catalogue title (original)
1960's Vintage Blancpain Aqualung (English)

View the source record (dealer listing) ↗ (opens another website in a new tab)Suggest a correction

Record summary

Catalogued by Craft & Tailored (dealer), Los Angeles (stock number BLNCP-AL60S), this is a wristwatch by Blancpain, made in Switzerland, dated 1960. The Atlas places it in the Modern Mechanical Horology period (1945 – 1969) of its Wristwatches collection. Recorded dimensions: Case 37 mm. The record is illustrated with 6 photographs.

Assembled from the source record's structured fields. Dates and attributions are given as the source states them; where a field is missing the Atlas leaves it blank rather than estimating.

Catalogue description

Dealer description — Craft & Tailored

The Blancpain series of dive watches has a history that is just as storied as some of the more infamous and famous dive watches of the same era. The vintage Blancpain dive watches are becoming increasingly rare as a result of collectors holding onto these specific timepieces and as a result of very small production numbers by Blancpain, to begin with. The Armed Forces were early adopters of Blancpain dive watches. Including the French and American Navy as were the early underwater explorers such as Jacque Cousteau among many others. The early Blancpain dive watches embody the golden era of design and innovation that we love from the late 1950s into the 1960s. The glossy dial paired with the 3-dimensional bakelite bezel insert sets this Blancpain apart from other "Golden Era" Divers. The radium markers and numerals are unique and specific to the early Blancpain Aqualung and Fifty Fathoms.This is an eye-catching piece that would most definitely stand out from the average yet possesses the simple and understated elements that make this specific timepiece so rare and unique. Stock # BLNCP-AL60S Brand Blancpain Style Diver Model Aqualung Serial 10XXXX Size Men's Material Stainless Steel Dial Black (Glossy) Millimeters 37mm Strap NATO Strap CASE & BRACELET The case remains in stunning condition showing the factory chamfers and factory finishing. The original bakelite bezel is in an absolutely stunning condition free of any cracks or degradation. When viewed under UV light the bezel still retains its glow for a brief moment. The case back is also in original and unpolished condition properly displaying the engraved serial number, anti-magnetic, water proof, shock protected, and automatic engravings. The watch will come on a NATO strap. DIAL & HANDS The original glossy dial is also in immaculate condition. The dial is free of any cracks or crazing and is in a flawless and stunning condition. The radium lume on the dial and hands is matching and original free of any lume loss or degradation. The lume has taken on a creamy golden patina which is handsome and eye-catching. The metallic and era correct Roulette date wheel is also in an immaculate condition free of any blemishes. ACCESSORIES

Historical context

Modern Mechanical Horology (1945 – 1969)

Tool watches for divers, pilots and astronauts; electric watches anticipate the electronic age.

The classic era of the mechanical wristwatch: dive watches, chronographs for motor racing and space flight, GMT watches for jet travel, slim dress watches, automatic calendars, and the rise of Japanese manufacturers alongside Swiss, American, German and Soviet industries.

Read the period in the timelineMore wristwatches from this periodEarlier: Golden Age of Mechanical Watchmaking

Atlas type guide

Wristwatches

Bracelet watches were worn by women from the early nineteenth century — Breguet made one for Caroline Murat, Queen of Naples, in 1810–12 — but the wristwatch only became a man's instrument with military use and aviation in the early twentieth century. Between the World Wars it overtook the pocket watch; the 1920s and 1930s brought rectangular Art Deco cases, water-resistant cases and the first automatic winding systems.

After 1945 the wristwatch became a carrier of identity — dress watches, sports and dive watches, chronographs, calendars — produced by Swiss, American, Japanese, German, Soviet and Chinese industries. The quartz revolution after 1969 and the mechanical renaissance since the 1990s, including the rise of independent watchmakers, complete the story.

What to look for

  • The reference number (between the lugs or inside the case back) and serial number, the starting point for dating.
  • The calibre: its maker and number are often stamped under the dial or on the bridge.
  • Originality of dial, hands and crown — refinished ('redial') dials are common.
  • Case material marks: 18K/750, 14K/585, stainless steel, gold-filled, plated.

Dating clues

  • Wire-lug cases: before c. 1925.
  • Water-resistant screw-down cases: from 1926.
  • Quartz movements: from 1969; sapphire crystals widespread after c. 1980.

General guidance written by the Atlas editors about this kind of object. It is not a statement about this particular piece; for that, rely on the source record above and on physical examination.

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